These courtesies, perhaps excessive in themselves,
had the unpardonable fault of being offered when too late. Mataafa
showed himself facile on small issues, inflexible on the main; he
restored the prisoners, he returned with the consuls to Apia on a flying
visit; he gave his word that peace should be preserved--a pledge in which
perhaps no one believed at the moment, but which he has since nobly
redeemed. On the rest he was immovable; he had cast the die, he had
declared his candidacy, he had gone to Malie. Thither, after his visit
to Apia, he returned again; there he has practically since resided.
Thus was created in the islands a situation, strange in the beginning,
and which, as its inner significance is developed, becomes daily stranger
to observe. On the one hand, Mataafa sits in Malie, assumes a regal
state, receives deputations, heads his letters "Government of Samoa,"
tacitly treats the king as a co-ordinate; and yet declares himself, and
in many ways conducts himself, as a law-abiding citizen. On the other,
the white officials in Mulinuu stand contemplating the phenomenon with
eyes of growing stupefaction; now with symptoms of collapse, now with
accesses of violence. For long, even those well versed in island manners
and the island character daily expected war, and heard imaginary drums
beat in the forest.
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